Hans Engel began his current role of Chairman and CEO of BASF Corporation and Chief Financial Officer, BASF SE in May of 2010. A lawyer by training, Hans began his BASF career in legal department in 1988. In 1993, he performed a one-year delegation in BASF’s North American headquarters in Mount Olive, NJ, returning to BASF’s legal department in Ludwigshafen the following year. In 1996, he was named staff to Chairman of the Board of Directors Jürgen Strube, and took over as the Managing Director of BASF Schwarzheide in eastern Germany in 1997. In 2000, Hans returned to the U.S. after accepting the position of BASF Corporation’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Beginning in 2006, he played a major leadership role in the acquisition and integration of Engelhard Corp. and the establishment of BASF’s Global Catalysts Division. Following the integration, Hans accepted a position on BASF SE’s Board of Executive Directors, serving as President, Legal, Taxes and Insurance. In 2008, Hans was named Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Wintershall Holding GmbH and Wintershall AG, helping to shape the success of BASF’s oil and gas business throughout the world. Since 2010, he has also served as a member of the Supervisory Board of Cognis GmbH. In addition to these responsibilities, as a member of the BASF Board, Hans leads all activities in the North American business region including BASF Corporation in the U.S., BASF Canada, BASF Mexicana and the Global Catalysts Division. Hans studied law at the Universities of Göttingen and Freiburg, completed his legal training at the Higher Regional Court, Oldenburg, and holds a doctorate from the University of Göttingen, Germany.